Impact of australian government scholarships on the development of higher education in vietnam

• Main Author: Alliband, Graham
• Other Authors: International conference: Internationalization of higher education: North – South perspectives: Hà Nội, 20/7/2012
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Học bổng; Giáo dục cao cấp
• Online Access: http://repository.vnu.edu.vn/handle/VNU_123/96333
• Institution: Vietnam National University, Hanoi

Over 4,000 scholarships (both long and short term) have been funded directly or indirectly through the Australian Government’s international aid agency since 1974. Currently up to 250 Development Awards comprising Australian Development Scholarships (ADS) and Australian Leadership Award Scholarships (ALAS) are awarded to Vietnam annually under the Australia Awards scheme. The scholarships are for post-graduate studies and are targeted at three Profiles. A recent Tracer study of alumni suggests that the study experience in Australia has had profound impact on teaching and research methodology, skills and approaches in higher education and research. The scholarship program has had particular impact on the development of TESOL in higher education with 505 Vietnamese recorded as having studied TESOL/ELICOS. O f these, 156 are currently working in universities/colleges with almost two-thirds concentrated in four universities. Many are in senior positions enabling them to influence national TESOL policy and determine teaching methodologies and curriculum. Australian scholarships have played a key role in training a core group of alumni, who have been instrumental in establishing a national quality system in higher education. The six alumni who graduated in Education Testing and Assessment before 2000 became key experts in policy development, consultancy and training in education quality. Australian scholarships have had a significant impact on Central Government Agencies whose employees have received 633 scholarships, including 143 from affiliated research institutions. In the current program, 40% of scholarships are targeted at these central agencies